Wireless communication networks typically include wireless access systems with equipment such as wireless access, control, and routing nodes that provide wireless communication services for wireless communication devices. A typical wireless communication network includes systems to provide wireless access across a geographic region, with wireless coverage areas associated with individual wireless access nodes. The wireless access systems exchange user communications between wireless communication devices, service providers, and other end user devices. These user communications typically include voice calls, data exchanges, web pages, streaming media, or text messages, among other communication services.
In some communication systems, multiple transmission modes may be used to provide wireless signaling to the various wireless communication devices. Accordingly, a first device that is located in a first location may be provided a first transmission mode from a base station, whereas a second device that is located in a second position may be provided a second transmission mode by the base station. These transmission modes may include multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) signaling, which is often used in communications near the base station, and beamforming signaling, which increases transmission power and is often used in communications further away from the base station.
In some instances, as wireless communication devices move within the geographic region supported by the base station, the base station may provide better communication connectivity using beamforming over MIMO signaling. Thus, the devices may prefer to transition from using the MIMO signaling to beamforming signaling to maintain the communication. However, the resources required from the base station to make the transition may be inappropriate for every device and communication.